Family of pensioner killed in Venus Williams car crash have bid to obtain her phone records BLOCKED by the tennis star

Lawyers for Jerome Barson's family claim the five-time Wimbledon champion may have been using her phone seconds before the deadly smash in Florida

By Mark Hodge

24th July 2017, 11:40 pm

Updated: 25th July 2017, 2:01 am

VENUS Williams is refusing to hand over her phone records which could prove she was distracted in the seconds before the horrific car crash which killed a pensioner.

Lawyers for the family of tragic Jerome Barson, 78, have requested the records of the tennis superstar’s calls and texts in a bid to prove she was using her mobile phone at the time of the deadly smash in Florida.

The Mega Agency

Williams, pictured landing in Miami last week following Wimbledon, is reportedly refusing to hand over phone records as part of a wrongful death suit

But legal documents show that Venus, 37, who lost the Wimbledon final to Garbiñe Muguruza earlier this month, is blocking the 'notice of production' served on T-Mobile, reports The Daily Mail.

The team representing the Barsons in the wrongful death suit claim CCTV footage shows the seven-time Grand Slam winner moving her hand towards her face in the moments before the June 9 crash.

Venus has not revealed why she is objecting to handing over her phone records but the Barson’s lawyers are now considering their next move in their bid to obtain the records.

The sporting icon's life was turned upside down last month while she was trying to get through a junction when traffic backed up and she got stuck, blocking the road.

ABC

Emergency services workers work on the crumpled Hyundai following the crash

Jerome Barson, 78, with wife Linda, 68, died after suffering head injuries in the crash

News Group Newspapers Ltd

Police say Venus Williams is to blame for the fatal car accident

Her 4×4 was then side-swiped by another car crossing through the intersection in the opposite direction.

Jerome Barson, whose wife Linda, 68, was driving the other car, suffered head injuries and died two weeks later.

Police reports seen by US website TMZ said the five-time Wimbledon champ “violated” Linda’s right of way in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Barson died after suffering head injuries with photographs showing the front of the black Hyundai Accent SE appearing to be completely smashed.

The Daily Mail has revealed the pensioner's grieving family want to see the sporting icon's car insurance documents along with her entire driving record for the past seven years and any medication she may have been on at the time.

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